Machine for assembling idler rollers



April 20, 1954 HAEGELE 2,675,847

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING IDLER ROLLERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 1, 1947 FIG. l.

M gm ldlm l INVENTOR O'rfo F? HAEGELE ATTORNEY.

April 20, 1954 o. P. HAEGELE 2,675,847

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING IDLER ROLLERS Original Filed July 1, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR OTTO P HAEGELE BY MW,

ATTORNEY April 20, 1954 HAEGELE 2,675,847 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING IDLER ROLLERS Original Filed July 1, 1947 I I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR OTTO F? HAEGELE BY afii/ a ml,

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1954 MACHINEJFOR ASSEMBIJING-rIDLER ROLLERS "Otto P. Haegele, Columbus, 'Ohio,- assignor to Joy Manufacturing -Company,

Pennsylvania.

aoriginal zapplication July 1,

a corporation of .1947, Serial .No.

7:583:16, .nowlatent No. 2,655 ,7.18,-dated .Octoherf20,,..1.9.5.3.. Divided andthis application December' 2Q,'1950,"Serial No.'201,799

14=Claims. 1

This invention relates' toan i'dlerroller assembly machine and more particularly-to a machine for assembling parts of a belt idler roller especially designed "for use with endless'belt-conveyors.

It is an object of the=presentinventionto provide an improved belt idler assembly machine.

1 Another object is to provide animproved machine for assembling parts of an'idlerroll'er and for securing certain of the parts in assembled position. Another object is to provide an improved means for'crimping orindenting'the ends of the idler rollers to hold the end flshaftsup- 'portsor end sleeves securely in position within the roller members. A still further objectis to provide an'improved-beltridler assembly machine having improved :adjustable- -means whereby rollers of different diameters :and of difierent lengths "may *be assembled "within the "machine. These andother-objects and advantages :of the invention will, however, hereinafter -.more fully appear.

The present application is adivisionof'mycopending application, Serial No.'758,4l6, filed July -1, 1-947, now-matured into -Patent?No. 23655 718,

granted October 20, 1953.

"In the accompanying drawings there'is shown for purposesof illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is anen-larged;fragmentary, perspective of the front-portion of an idler assembly machine showing "features "of the invention.

'Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view-showing the fluid cylinders and associated mechanism "for crimping or indenting theroller members to secure the end shaftsupports in place.

' "Fig.3 is 'alongitudinal vertical sectional View taken s bstantially on line3-'-3-0f Fig.2.

Fig. 4'is a diagrammatic view illustrating the hydraulic'fluitl system.

"In this -illustrative construction, as "shown in "the drawings, the improved belt 'idlerassembly machine comprises'a framework I -by-which are carried fluid 'eylinders and associated mechanismZ for'crimping or indentingthe roller members to secure the end shaft supports 'securelyin place therein. Each idler "roller includesa'rdller sha-ft'3. an outer tubular roller member l and cuplike end shaft supports or'endsl'eevesfi which are inserted within the tubular roller member to hold the shaft centrally in posit on and the rolleriis first partially assembled within the ma- 7 1 chine in the "manner "fully disclosedinythefcc pending application SeriaFNo; 758;416. The parseats 6 of spaced-vertical'blocksl of thecrimping mechanism 2, 'the blocks being secured, as "by screws, to vertical "frame portions 8 'on the frame I (Figs. 2 and 3). In Fig. l'the roller is shown in seated position; and when the roller'is placedin such position, itsleft'handend sleeve 5, as viewed'in' Fig. 2, is-p'laced'over a cylindrical portion 9 of asupport Ill, the latter being secured, as by screws,'to an adjustable plate 1 I. This plate is guided for horizontal adjustment on an adjustable part of theframe, as later described, and is'provided with an adjusting screw l2. Atthe'righthand endofthe rollenastiewed in Fig. 2 is a horizontal transverse guideway l 3 extending lengthwise-of "the roller and in which a sliding crosshead M is guided for'horizontal movement, and this crosshead issecured to a piston-rod 15 of a reciprocable piston l6 contained in a horizontal fluid cylinder l 'ljthe latter ber 2l provided with a cylindrical portion 22 adapted to-fit within the-righthand end sleeve5 ofitheroller, as viewe'din Fi'g. '2, when the piston l S is moved *toward the left, under the influenceof pressure fluid, to bring the cross "head ['4' into the'position shown. InFig. '1, the cross head and crimping "tools are-shown'in retracted position. Thus-when the :cylindrica lportions 9 and :22 ofthe. members 2l and "l0'arepositionedwith- .in the :end sleeves "5 of 'the rollers, as shown- 'in i Fig. 2,the ro'llerFis firmly maintained in-position,

ready for crimping. Arranged longitudinally *of the framework at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of therollerarehorizontal "fiui'd yIiIIderS' /ZE, arranged in parallel rela- 'tion and containing reciprocable pistons 26 (see a lso Fig. 3) having horizontal piston mas-r 2 1. These cylin'ders are secured to vertical frame p'oftions2'8 parallel to theirame portions *8, and

theupper ends o'f t'he right hand frame portions, as-JiewedinFig. 1 areheld rigidly in spaced rela- *tion as by a 'bolt '29 and nuts 30, as shown. Threadedlysecured at 3! tothe outer ends'o'fthe piston-rods are tco'lhol'ders 32 guided'inhcrizontal guideways tfl inblocks 314 rigidly "secured. as *by screws, to adjacent portions "35 mounted entire-framework. 'Tlieadjustable plate H (Fig.

2) is guided on the left frame-portion 35 which is laterally-adiustable, aslat'er explained. ndjustalile stops 3$, threaded "on thebddies of. the tool holders, engage the pater suitaces -of the guide blocks 34 for limiting the rectilinear inward movement of the tool holders. Lock washers suitably hold the adjustable parts in position, as shown. Attached at 37 to the inner ends of the tool holders are crimping or indenting tools 38. When the pistons 25 are moved outwardly under the influence of pressure fluid, the tools 38 are pressed inwardly against the outer surface of the roller 4 to crimp or indent the latter, as at 39 (Fig. 2), to secure firmly the end shaft supports within the end of the bore of the roller member 4. By proper adjustment of the plates I I and and by interchanging the seat-providing blocks 1 with different size blocks and interchanging the support members l0 and 2| with different size ones, rollers of different diameters may be supported in crimping position and crimped in an obvious manner. When the work holders and cross head are retracted, as shown in Fig. 1, a partially assembled roller may be removed from the seats 6 on the blocks 1 and placed on an inclined conveyor 45 (Fig. 1) where it may roll by gravity downwardly toward the back of the machine, in the manner fully disclosed in the above mentioned copending application.

In order to accommodate rollers of diiferent lengths than those shown, the left hand lower frame (Fig. 2), supporting the left hand crimping cylinder 25 and the roller support member I0, is slidable transversely along horizontal guideways 4| on a transverse bed frame 42, likewise secured to the framework, and suitable bolts 43 are likewise provided to secure the frame in adjusted position. lengths, as well as rollers of difierent diameters, may be assembled within the machine. It will be noted that the roller conveyor 49 is made of sufiicient width to accommodate the rollers of greatest length.

Now referring to the hydraulic fluid system, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, it will be noted that a conventional motor driven pump 45 has its intake connected by a conduit 46 to a tank 4! adapted to contain a fluid, preferably a liquid such'as a light lubricating oil. The pump discharge is connected by conduit 48 to the supply passage of a valve box 49 of a conventional control valve mechanism 50, herein mounted on the framework at the front end of the machine in r the manner clearly shown in Fig. 1. The valve block has a horizontal bore containing a conventional slide valve 5|, preferably of the balanced spool type, and having an operating lever 52. The bore containing this slide valve is connected by conduits 53 and 54 to the opposite ends of the roller holding cylinder 11, and branch conduits 55 and 56 lead from the conduits 53 and 54 respectively, to the opposite ends of the crimping cylinders 25. Conduit 56 is connected to the conduit 54 through a conventional spring loaded valve 51 which remains closed. cutting off communication ofthe conduit 55 with the conduit 54 until the piston in the cylinder I1 has moved its full distance. When the pressure builds up in the cylinder I1 due to cessation of piston movement, the valve 51 automatically opens, admitting fluid under pressure through conduit 56 to the cylinders 25, thereby to move the pistons therein toward crimping position. It will thus be seen that the cylinder Thus, rollers of diiferent I! is first operated firmly to hold the roller in crimping position and thereafter, in a definite sequence, the cylinders 25 are operated to effect crimping. The conduit 56 is connected through a conduit 58 controlled by a check valve 59 to the conduit 54 so that when the latter is vented, fluid may flow from the cylinders 25 through conduit 58, past the check valve to the conduit 54, wholly independently of the valve 51 which is, at that time, closed. Fluid may flow to the conduit 56 only past the relief valve 57. The discharge passage of the valve box 49 is connected by a conduit 60 back to the tank 41. The valve box contains another control valve for other fluid operated devices of the machine as is fully disclosed in the above mentioned copending application, but since this additional valve does not enter into the present invention it is not described in detail herein.

As a result of this invention an improved belt idler assembly machine is provided whereby assembly of idler parts may be quickly and easily accomplished, with a minimum of time and expense. It will further be evident that by the provision of the fluid operated devices for holding and crimping the idler rollers the assembling operation is greatly facilitated. By the provision of the automatic control for the crimping mechanism the roller is always firmly held in position prior to the crimpin operation, in a definite sequence. By the provision of the adjustable and interchangeable roller supporting and centering structures, rollers of different diameters and of diiferent lengths may be assembled within the machine. Other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for assembling rollers. su ports for a horizontal roller, means for mounting one of said supports for adjustment relative to the other thereby to accommodate rollers of different lengths, a power operated device aligned with the roller on said supports for firmly holding the roller in a stationary horizontal position. power operated devices arranged in parallel relation at right angles to the roller near the opposite ends thereof for peripherally crimping or indenting the roller concurrently at its ends to secure parts firmly in assembled relation therewith, and means for mounting one of said parallel power operated devices for adjustment with said adjustable support to vary their distance apart thereby to enable crimping or indent-ing of the rollers of different lengths.

2. In an idler assembly machine, a support for receiving an idler member for supporting the latter in a horizontal position, a power operated device acting endwise on the idler member for holding the latter firmly in a stationary horizontal position on said support, power operated devices arranged in right angular relation with respect to the axial line of said first mentioned power operated device and acting transversely of the horizontal idler member near the ends oi the latter for peripherally crimping or indenting the idler member concurrently at longitudinally spaced points to secure parts in position with respect thereto during assembly, and automatic control means associated with said power operated means and embodying a control element responsive to the power conditions within said first mentioned power operated device for automatically effecting, in a definite sequence, operation of said power operated crimping devices only after the idler member is firmly held in horizontal position on said support.

3. In an idler assembly machine, a support for receiving an idler member for supporting the idler in a horizontal position, a power operated device aligned with said idler member at one end of said support and acting endwise on the idler for holding the latter firmly in its horizontal position on said support, power operated devices, one arranged near each end of the idler member on said support with their axes extending in parallelism at right angles to the axial line of said first mentioned power opgrated device for peripherally crimping or indenting the idler member concurrently at longitudinally spaced points to secure parts in position with'respect thereto during assembly, and mounting means for said last mentioned power operated devices including a horizontal, longitudinally extending guideway for one of said latter devices and along which said latter device is adjustable to vary the distance apart of said latter power operated devices to enable peripheral crimping or indenting of rollers of different lengths.

4. In an idler assembly machine, a support for receiving an idler member for supporting the idler in a horizontal position, a power operated device aligned with said idler member at one end of said support and acting endwise on the idler for holding the latter firmly in its horizontal position on said support, power operated devices, one arranged near each end of the idler member on said support with their axes extending in parallelism at right angles to the axial line of said first mentioned power operated device for peripherally crimping or indenting the idler member concurrently at longitudinally spaced points to secure parts in position with respect thereto during assembly, said support for the idler member providing longitudinally spaced seats for interchangeably receiving difierent size supporting elements for receiving and supporting the ends of idler members of different diameters.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 759,360 Flager May 10, 1904 970,669 Vallone et a1 Sept. 20, 1910 1,190,576 Page July 11, 1916 2,558,576 Miller et a1 June 26, 1951 2,604,923 Shivoder, Jr. July 29, 1952' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 126,659 Switzerland July 2, 1928 

